Sep152018

Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

In the Second Reading for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Letter of James), we read, “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” This powerful statement reminds us that we must always try to put our faith into action. The First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah speaks about the role of the suffering servant. We know that this passage describes Jesus who suffered and died for us " He is the true suffering servant. We see this in the Gospel of St. Mark. Jesus states that “the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and he will be killed, and after three days rise again.” To be His follower we too must be willing to take up our cross and follow Him. There is a great deal of suffering in the world. We see this in our own Church. Currently we are focused on the victims of sexual abuse by clergy. Their stories reveal personal suffering and it is a tragedy. In his recent letter about this matter (August 20, 2018), Pope Francis writes, “It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable….Likewise, penance and prayer will help us to open our eyes and our hearts to other people’s sufferings and to overcome the thirst for power and possessions that are so often the root of those evils.” Pope Francis reminds us that it is by embracing the cross, denying ourselves, and living a life of penance and prayer, that our minds and hearts will be open to the suffering of others. When we do this, we follow the example of Christ. We demonstrate a faith that is alive and not dead. “Whoever wants to become my follower let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” 
Photo Credits: Josh Canning

Category: Publications

Posted by: Margaret